A Ride in the Country
by Silvermoone
Summary: Ellana Lavellan has distanced herself from the Iron Bull, and he doesn't know how to fix things with her. But then the two ex-lovers are thrown together when a simple ride in the country goes wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**A Ride in the Country**

 **Chapter 1**

Ellana Lavellan took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the scenery around her; a pale autumn sun sat majestically amidst clouds tinted pink in the afternoon sky, lighting the lush, green fields stretching before her. She felt exhilarated, and her horse, Shadow, tossed his head as he picked up on her emotions. She loosened her hold on the reins giving the dark grey horse permission to gallop, and let out a shout of joy as he took off with long bounding strides. The wind lifted her hair, causing it to flutter behind her like the tail of a red comet; her long skirt fluttered around her calves, tickling her skin. _Oh Maker!_ She needed this; to just let loose and feel free, to forget all the worries, pressures, and stress of being the Inquisitor.

She thought of the Iron Bull and his offer to help relieve some of that stress. For a moment, she could almost feel his hard body pressed against hers, as he'd done that night in her bedroom. She shivered as she remembered his large hand closing around her wrists and holding them above her head; she'd given into temptation and the arousal that had surged through her body that night.  
Ellana grimaced, recalling the feeling of elation at getting the man she'd wanted from the moment she'd first seen him. That bubble of happiness had burst when she'd spoken to him afterwards; he'd laid down the rules, and it had broken her heart to know that he could so easily walk away from the relationship with no regrets. He'd made it clear that it had been nothing more than sex to him, at least.  
She'd wanted him so badly, but, in the end she'd chosen to finish it before her heart became forever lost to the big Qunari. They were still friends, and for a while she'd even continued to go to the tavern for a few drinks; but at the end of the night she'd watch him climb the stairs to his room with a barmaid in tow, and her heart would break all over again. Eventually, she'd just stopped going.

She shook her head, pushing the sad memories away, knowing she only had herself to blame. Instead, she lost herself in the wildness of the racing horse, the crisp fresh air, and the beautiful landscape around her.  
Eventually, Shadow slowed down to a trot, and she patted his neck, praising his stamina as she pulled the reins to the right and headed for home. She'd only travelled a hundred yards or so when a bear plodded out from the trees lining the side of the field.  
"Oh crap! What is it with me and bears?" She felt a tremor run through Shadow and tightened her knees to hold him in check while whispering calming words to him. "It's okay, fella. He's just out for a walk." The bear stopped and gave her a fierce glare; perhaps it heard the Inquisitor and took offence at her words, or perhaps it was just hungry. Whatever the reason, it decided to charge at the horse and rider.  
"Fuck!"  
Ellana dug her heels into Shadow's side and whipped her reins, urging the horse to move faster. "I'm going to declare hunting season on all bears when I get back to Skyhold."

She glanced over her shoulder and saw the bear still making a valiant effort to reach them. Ellana laughed - there was no way in hell it was going to catch up with Shadow; he was the fastest horse in the stables, and he could outrun a shaggy old bear even when tired. She turned slightly in her saddle and made a rude gesture to the big shambling beast... and that's when Shadow's hoof went into a rabbit-hole. He stumbled, and perhaps if she'd been holding on with both hands, she might have managed to keep him upright, or at least hang on to the reins - but, she'd been too slow in reacting to the danger, and consequently found herself sailing through the air. She hit the ground with a resounding _oomph_ as the wind was knocked from her body.

Gingerly, Ellana lifted her head, and groaned as pain pounded in her skull. Pressing trembling hands into the earth, she slowly pushed herself into an upright position, and caught a glimpse of Shadow bolting away from her. _Damn it!_ She was like a novice rider letting go of the reins. No doubt there was going to be a lot of good-natured ribbing from her friends in the near future. Pushing aside her exasperation, Ellana decided to focus on the silver lining: if Shadow could run that fast then it seemed likely that he wasn't injured - although she'd be sure to check him over when she got back home.

A loud roar reminded her why she'd urged the horse into a gallop, and carefully she turned her head; the bear was walking slowly towards her, and she could have sworn the damn thing was smiling smugly at her - certain of its meal. She quickly climbed to her feet, then yelped as pain shot through her right ankle. It was hard to see if there was any swelling due to the boots she wore, but she would bet her last copper that she had a bad sprain. She tried shuffling away while keeping a wary eye on the bear, but each step felt like shards of glass were being pushed into her ankle. Frustrated and in pain, she indulged in a loud bout of swearing; the bear paused, perhaps sensing a threat from the young woman it was hunting, but then hunger overrode its senses and it started running towards her.

Ellana let out a panicked squeal and unwittingly put all her weight on the sprain with her next step; agony sliced through her ankle, and she screamed as she toppled backwards. She shook her head to clear the pain and reached for the hilt of her Knight-Enchanter weapon, but came up empty. "Well, shit!" she grumbled, borrowing the saying from her favourite dwarf. She lifted her hand and threw out a lightning bolt, hitting the bear in the paw, which brought the creature to a momentary halt. Her head swam, and she knew she wouldn't be able to cast many more spells; the shock of the fall, and the pain in her head and ankle were taking their toll on her.

While the bear debated about attacking her again, she looked around wildly for her weapon, knowing she would stand a better chance with that in her hand. She spotted a glint of metal about twenty feet from her; it might as well have been twenty miles away.  
When the bear roared once more, she knew her time was up and she needed to fight. A ball of flame coalesced in her hand and she threw it towards the great beast. Unfortunately, at that moment her vision blurred, and the fire only scorched a few hairs along the bear's flank, leaving it relatively unharmed; it had, however, stopped again, sniffing the air cautiously. Ellana sighed angrily. "Well, that's just great. You were meant to go up in flames, you big ball of fur."

The sound of thundering hooves reached her ears, and she blew out a relieved breath at the sight of a large black horse speeding towards her. She knew of only one man who rode such a steed; the Iron Bull. When Master Dennet had joined the Inquisition, he'd taken one look at the Qunari, and had brought out a big black stallion. Bull had nodded his approval, and after riding around for a while, announced that he would name his horse Asaara because it was as fast as the wind. Watching man and beast race towards her, she could understand why he'd chosen that name.

The pounding of rough paws in front of her called her attention back to the bear, who'd decided to throw caution to the wind and charge once more. "Oh shit," she muttered.  
Her head thumped sickeningly, and her vision wavered as she quickly put all her effort into one last spell; a ball of flame started to grow... but then flickered and disappeared. "Damn it!" Her voice sounded slurred and weak. She didn't see the Iron Bull pull his great axe from its harness, or the powerful swing he took at the bear. She distantly heard a loud roar, and vaguely wondered if that was the bear or the Iron Bull before darkness claimed her.

The first thing she noticed when she awoke was the large hand cupping her head; the second was the warmth of Bull's body heating her chilled skin. She did her best to fight off the flush that was threatening to cover her face, and quickly pushed herself up in an attempt to get away from him before she embarrassed herself further that day; it was bad enough that she'd had to be rescued from a bear. She cried out, and knew she didn't have to worry about blushing anymore because the blood had drained from her face as excruciating pain tore through her ankle.  
"Easy, boss. You're going to need some rest and a cold compress on that ankle before you can start walking on it again."  
"Bloody stupid bear," she grumbled. She realised with a start that night had closed in. "How long have I been out?"  
Bull carefully lifted her into his arms as he replied, "A few hours. I was starting to get worried." He straightened into a standing position, and Ellana fought to keep down her stomach contents as a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her. She closed her eyes and swallowed the saliva that was filling her mouth. _Oh Maker, she was going to be..._ "Sick! Bull... put me down."  
"Boss?" His confusion was rapidly replaced with understanding when he saw the sickly pallor of her skin. Quickly, he knelt and laid her in the damp grass where she immediately rolled onto all fours and vomited.

Frowning, he held back her long hair and waited for the paroxysms to pass; it seemed likely that she had a concussion, and unfortunately he had no healing potions. He wondered if it was worth risking the ride back to Skyhold, but one look at the thick clouds blocking the moonlight made it clear that no such journey could be attempted; she definitely didn't need another tumble from a horse. He peered through the darkness trying to find somewhere they could shelter for the night, but the pitch black was unyielding.  
Realising that Ellana was trying to shuffle away from the mess she'd made, Bull gently picked her up. "How are you feeling, now?"  
"Better," she mumbled. He glanced down intending to check her colour, but became distracted by the sight of her curled up against his chest like a stray kitten. _I am so screwed,_ he thought gloomily.

"You can move, Bull. I'm not going to throw up again." Her words pulled him from his reverie. "I'm trying to decide where we can stay for the night," he lied. Ellana's brows pulled together as she tried to recall where they were. After a minute or so, she spoke quietly, "If you head north for about ten minutes, you should come to an abandoned house. I've passed it a few times when I've been out riding." He took hold of Asaara's reins and looped them over his wrist so the horse knew to follow, then set off at a slow pace, doing his best not to jolt her around. She might not feel sick any longer but he was pretty certain that she had one hell of a headache.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

They reached the house thirty minutes later; the darkness, as much as Ellana's injuries, causing Bull to walk slowly. He stabled Asaara, then entered the abandoned house and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He could make out the shape of a chair against a wall, and lowered Ellana into it.  
The pitch black felt heavy and oppressive. "We need some light," he said, thinking aloud. Brightness suddenly lit the hall and he turned to see a ball of flame shimmering above Ellana's hand; with a practised flick of her wrist, the orange orb shot through the air hitting a torch that sat in a bracket on the wall. Bull chuckled, "Okay, well that works." He collected the torch and handed it to her. "You'll need to hold this while I'm carrying you."  
"I think I can manage that," she answered with a smile. But he could see the dark circles beneath her eyes and the layer of sweat on her forehead, and knew she was still in pain. He glanced at her injured ankle and cursed his stupidity for not removing the boot as soon as he'd found her.

The flaming torch threw out shadows upon the once splendid furnishings as he checked each room; eventually, he spotted a large double bed and laid her down. He took the torch and placed it in a wall bracket before positioning himself by her feet. He looked over his shoulder to warn her, "This is probably going to hurt so I'll try and do it quickly."  
She lifted her head and realised what he was going to do. "No! Don't tou-" The rest of her sentence was lost in a scream of agony as he carefully tried to remove the boot. He immediately stopped his actions and apologised, "Shit, I'm sorry, Boss, but this needs to come off."  
"Then find me some alcohol before you try again," she panted.  
"I don't know whether that's a good idea. I think you might have a concussion, too."  
"Bull, I appreciate the concern, I really do. But if you touch my foot again before I get drunk, I may well shoot a lightning bolt up your ass,"  
He eyed her warily, unsure of whether or not she meant the threat. _Nah_ , _she wouldn't do that._ He reached once more for her foot but was hit with a mind blast before he could take hold of the boot. "I'm warning you, Bull."  
He pushed away from the wall where he'd come to a halt, and stared at her in surprise. "Damn, you're a grumpy woman when you're injured," he complained. However, he was unwilling to risk the lightning bolt, and went off to hunt for alcohol.

Bull certainly hadn't expected his day to turn out like this. Searching the rooms of the abandoned house, he smiled to himself; although that smile quickly waned when he thought of his reason for following Ellana from Skyhold in the first place.  
The continual absence of the Inquisitor had been grating on his nerves for a while, so last night he'd cornered Varric and asked why she no longer came to the tavern. The dwarf had given him a surprised look, then his eyes had slid over to the barmaids . Bull had noticed the direction of the glance, and tried to defend himself, "I stopped that when..." But he'd broken off, and a grimly smiling Varric finished the sentence. "When you realised they couldn't replace the Inquisitor."  
Bull had growled in agreement and rubbed a hand over his face. Varric had sympathetically patted his arm and offered some advice. "I think you need to talk to her, Tiny."

Today, when Bull had seen Ellana leave on one of her solitary rides, it had seemed like a perfect opportunity. He'd rushed over to the stables and saddled Asaara as quickly as he could; even so, she'd been out of sight by the time he'd mounted the horse. Thankfully, he'd known where she went to for her rides, and had decided to take a leisurely canter in her direction, which would give him time to think about what he wanted to say. He'd still been trying to figure out how to start the conversation when he'd spotted her on the ground with a bear closing in. His heart had been in his mouth as he'd spurred Asaara towards her. He rubbed the back of his neck now, realising that he'd never gotten around to sorting out what he was going to say to her. That was a problem for a later time, however; right now he needed to find some alcohol.

Ten minutes later, he returned to the bedroom and laid out his spoils: a bottle of Chasind Sack Mead, two glasses, some dried meat and fruit, a roll of bandages, a small jar of ointment, and a sharp knife. Ellana raised a questioning brow at the sight of the knife and he explained that he was going to have to cut away the boot considering how much trouble he'd had trying to remove it in the usual way. She groaned, "But I only bought these boots a couple of weeks ago."  
He chuckled as he poured her a shot of liquor. "Just think how much fun you can have going shopping for a new pair," he said as he handed her the glass. She laughed at the suggestion, and his breath caught in his throat; even roughed up and looking pale, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. He'd initially been interested because of her long red hair; in fact, he'd indulged in a lot of fantasies about wrapping his hand in those gorgeous strands while... he quickly pushed the image away when he felt a stirring in his lower regions. This definitely wasn't the right time.

He saw that she was reaching for the bottle of Chasind Sack Mead and quickly picked it up. "Are you planning on drinking all of it?" he questioned.  
"That depends on how soon it can get me drunk. If it takes the whole bottle, then so be it." He filled her glass and put the remainder back on the table; knowing her low tolerance for alcohol he wasn't too concerned about her finishing the bottle.  
Suddenly he shivered, only now noticing the cold night air creeping into the abandoned house and chilling its two occupants; spotting a large fireplace, he told Ellana that he was going to find some wood. Twenty minutes later he returned to find her giggling and the half empty bottle of mead in her hand. "Crap. Please tell me you didn't drink all of that? You spilt some of it, right?" he hopefully asked.  
She hiccuped cheerfully and waved the bottle. "I'm not feeling a thing. This stuff is great!"  
Bull rolled his eyes and took the bottle from her grip; her words were already slurred, if she drank anymore she'd be incoherent. After building the fire, he had to dissuade her from flinging a fireball at the wood he'd carefully piled up; he was pretty sure that she wasn't seeing straight after drinking that much alcohol.

Judging that she was now ready to have the boot removed, he picked up the knife and made his way to the foot of the bed. Carefully, he started to slice the leather... but then she jerked her leg away. "What are you doing?" she shouted. "Get your own boot!"  
He swore, and wiped away a drop of sweat from his forehead as he realised how close he'd come to cutting her leg; she was going to give him a bloody heart attack doing things like that. "Ellana, keep still. I need to remove your boot so I can check your ankle."  
She responded with a dismissive snorting sound. "S'nothing wrong with my ankle," she slurred.

He sighed, took hold of her leg and once more started the delicate task of cutting through the leather. He let out the breath he'd been holding in only when the task had been accomplished - without any further interference from Ellana. Satisfied, he slipped off the boot; but then softly cursed at the sight of her swollen ankle and foot which were already showing some ugly bruising.  
He went to the bedside table and collected the bandages and ointment; the label said it contained elfroot and arbor blessing, both of which he knew were used in regeneration potions. He slathered the injured area with the thick cream before wrapping the bandages around; then he critically eyed his handiwork and gave himself a mental pat on the back.

"All right, let's take a look at your head." He sat down on the edge of the bed and she leaned forward to rest against his broad chest. A soft sigh slipped from her mouth as his fingers slid into her hair. "Feels nice," she mumbled as he moved gently over her skull checking for any open wounds. He couldn't agree more; the feel of her warm breath against his skin felt great.  
"Well, you've got an egg-sized lump on the back of your head, but no bleeding." The only response to his diagnosis was a snore. He chuckled and laid her down, carefully pulling the covers over her after removing the remaining boot. He wistfully eyed the empty half of the bed and contemplated climbing in next to her, but dismissed the idea after considering what her reaction might be when she awoke; the lightning bolt sounded painful. So, after looking around for a while, he found a thin blanket and a relatively comfortably chair, which he moved closer to the bed; there he settled down and tried to get some sleep. For a moment, his eyes rested on her profile, lit by the warm glow of the fire, and a sad smile played over his lips; his dreams of spending another night with her had come true, just not in the way he'd pictured.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A noise pulled him from his restless slumber; instantly he was alert - a trick he'd learnt after years of living in Seheron. Not by so much as a blink of an eye did he betray that he was awake while he listened intently for the sound that had woken him. He suppressed a shiver; the fire had died down at some point letting the coldness seep back into the room, and his blanket was of little use fending off the chill. _There!_ A creaking floorboard, and it was close to him. He opened his eyes and immediately focused on the bed, checking on Ellana. _Fuck!_ She wasn't there. He stood, a sense of urgency rushing through his blood, and surveyed the room as well as he could in the darkness but there was no one or nothing to see. Impatiently, he waited to hear the creaking again so he could more accurately pinpoint his target; he only had to wait a few seconds. His head whipped around to focus near the foot of the bed, but again, he couldn't see anyone moving.

With more stealth than might be expected of one his size, he took a few steps forward and searched the area again. This time he spotted something and moved swiftly. His hand shot forward and gripped a collar. "Who are you?"  
An annoyed familiar female voice answered him, "What the hell are you doing, Bull?!"  
"Boss?" He leaned forward and saw the unmistakeable glint of her green eyes glaring angrily at him. He bent and lifted her onto the bed. "Why are you crawling around in the middle of the night?"  
"I'm trying to find the bloody chamber-pot."  
He noticed she was squirming around and realisation dawned on him. "Ah, right. It's over there." He pointed to a decorative screen. She squinted, following the direction of his finger, but couldn't see anything resembling a pot. "Where?"  
"Can you light the torch? I don't want to trip over a stool while taking you there."  
She did as he asked but refused his offer to carry her. "Just show me where I'm supposed to go." Ignoring her request, he scooped her back into his arms. "Bull, I can just crawl over there."  
"I know, but this is faster and more comfortable for you." By the time they'd finished talking he'd already reached the area and pointed out a chair. "That's it."  
She looked at it with a raised brow, then back to Bull. "I know I took a knock to the head so I'm probably not with it, but where the hell is the bowl?"  
He laughed and carefully put her down, then lifted the padded seat revealing the chamber-pot. "Give me a shout when you're finished and I'll come and collect you."

After he got her back to bed, he moved to his chair and pulled the blanket over his body trying to get as much of himself as possible under the thin cover. "Bull, there's plenty of room in the bed." She chuckled at the speed with which he left the chair and climbed in next to her. He sighed happily as he huddled under the thick quilt. "Thanks. That blanket wasn't really doing the trick."  
"No problem. I don't want you coming down with a cold," Ellana replied as she closed her eyes. Ten minutes later and she was still wide awake; she wanted to blame the throbbing in her ankle but knew that it was really due to having the big Qunari so close. She twisted and turned in an effort to fall asleep. "Stop fidgeting, you're pulling the quilt off me," Bull grumbled. She apologised and tried to stay still while attempting to clear her mind so she could recapture sleep.

Another thirty minutes passed and she was becoming increasingly frustrated. If she could, she would have got out of bed and gone for a walk, but with her injured ankle that wasn't an option, and crawling up and down the floorboards just wasn't the same. Suddenly she was struck with inspiration and lifted her head to check the bedside table for the rest of the mead. A couple of shots of that should knock her back out. She spotted the bottle and reached over; the cool glass brushed against her fingers, so tantalisingly close, but not close enough. She shuffled along the mattress, just a bit further... _thud!_ "Ow!"  
"Ellana! Are you all right?" Bull stretched across the mattress and found the Inquisitor on the floor. "Do you need to go again?"  
She rolled her eyes, and replied with a snap, "No, I don't. I was trying to reach the bottle." She grabbed the edge of the night-stand and pulled herself up, rejecting Bull's offer to lift her. In her current frustrated state the last thing she needed was to feel his hands on her skin. She winced as she put pressure on her ankle, but eventually made it back to the bed without any help. She could feel Bull's eyes boring into her back and tried to reassure him. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

She heard him shift around and hoped he was lying down; instead, his hand rested on her shoulder. She tensed at his touch, trying to fight the feelings it evoked in her body. "Ellana, I'm all for a few drinks, but-"  
Her nerves were already at breaking point and his touch was the final straw; consequently, she lashed out, "Yes, I'm well aware, considering that you live above the tavern. Or is that just for easy access to the barmaids?" Immediately, she bit her lip, berating herself for letting the bitter words slip from her mouth. "I'm sorry, it's no business of mine."  
He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him; she was shocked at his angry expression. "How would you know whether I'm sleeping with them? You haven't been in the tavern for months now!"  
She tried to pull away, but his grip was firm. "I couldn't..." Her lips clamped together as she stopped the damning words from being said.  
"You couldn't what?" he questioned, refusing to let the matter drop.  
"Damn it, Bull! What do you want me to say?"  
He moved in close, his hand framing her face. "I want you to tell me you still care for me, even after I was such an idiot."  
She stopped struggling and stared at him. "What?" That was the best her dumbfounded brain could offer as it slowly caught up with this sudden twist in the conversation.  
She watched him rub a large hand over the short bristles on his head. "When I explained how things would work between us," he said, "I was trying to protect myself. I couldn't believe how I felt about you after just one night together. No one's managed to get to me like that, and it scared the shit out of me. So, I made it seem as though we were just friends with benefits, and we could both walk away whenever we wanted to." He climbed off the bed and moved over to the night-stand. "You're right," he answered her questioning look, "we do need a drink for this."

Ellana pushed herself up against the headboard trying to get more comfortable. He got back in bed and handed her an expensive looking glass. She held it steady while he poured, then he filled his own glass which he immediately emptied. "When you ended it, I figured that was for the best. I was still with the Qun, and the whole thing with the Inquisition was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement."  
He refilled his glass and took a mouthful as he gathered his thoughts. Ellana sipped silently at her drink; her mind was whirling with everything he'd told her, and in the centre of it all was a spark of hope.  
"When the alliance with the Qunari fell through, I wanted to see if you'd be willing to give it another try, minus all the ground rules, of course. But you'd stopped coming into the tavern, and seemed distant whenever we spoke. It was only after a chat with Varric that I decided to talk to you in the hope that you hadn't moved on."  
She shook her head, "No, that wasn't the reason; I just couldn't..."  
He chuckled. "I feel like we've come full circle."

She looked up and saw the gleam of amusement in his eye, then realised it was at that point she'd previously clammed up. She gave him a rueful smile, knowing that she had to finish the sentence considering how open he'd been with her. She gulped down the remainder of her drink and took a deep breath. "I couldn't go back to the tavern because it was too painful watching you lead those women to your room at the end of the night." She held out her glass and he immediately filled it.  
"I'm sorry about that, Ellana. I thought they would take my mind off you, but there was no comparison, and eventually I told them I was off limits."  
She toyed with her glass. "You don't need to apologise. I was the one who stupidly ended things. I just... I couldn't start something with you while your heart wasn't in it." He reached out and took her hand, "It _was_ , Kadan; it always has been." She watched his fingers entwine with hers and felt her heartbeat quicken. She put down the glass, worried that she'd spill it with the way her hands trembled. His grip tightened briefly, as he quietly asked, "Will you give me another chance?"  
She lifted a hand to his face, felt the tightness of his jaw, and realised he was nervous about her reply. "Yeah, Bull, I will."  
His arm slipped around her waist pulling her closer until their lips were only a breath apart. "I love you, Kadan." His warm lips pressed against hers; she sighed happily and opened to him as he lowered her to the mattress and pulled the quilt around them. "I love you, too, Bull."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

She awoke in the morning wrapped in his arms, her head resting against his chest where she could hear the comfortable beating of his heart. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Morning, Kadan."  
She lifted her face and found his lips waiting for her. When they pulled apart, she breathlessly asked him, "You called me that last night. What does it mean?"  
He smiled and stroked his thumb over her cheek. "It means 'my heart'."  
She swallowed past a lump in her throat as her eyes misted over. "That's beautiful," she whispered.  
"So are you," he replied before capturing her lips once more. As they broke apart, he sighed. "I suppose I should get you back to Skyhold before the advisers send out search parties."

It was a beautiful day for a ride; the sun was shining down from a clear blue sky, and the fresh scent of Autumn was in the air. However, Ellana's mind soon turned away from the scenery to dwell on much more... carnal thoughts. Due to the constant pressure of the pommel against her groin and the motion of the trotting horse, she was now feeling incredibly aroused. And it didn't help that Bull's hard body was pressed up behind her. She bit back a moan as graphic images filled her mind; her brain was coming up with some great suggestions on how to relieve the ache in her lower regions. Her hips began to move of their own volition, a small rocking motion on the saddle.

She heard a deep groan behind her. "Please stop doing that, Kadan. It's making things a little... uncomfortable for me." Immediately, Ellana felt a thrill of excitement rush through her blood; she knew what that husky tone meant. Wantonly, she pushed her ass against the Qunari behind her... and felt his solid erection.  
"Fuck! That's not helping," he growled  
She chuckled and replied in a throaty voice, "I know, Bull, that's the point."  
That did it for him; he wrapped the reins around the saddle horn and wasted no time in putting his hands to better use. Ellana's body arched as he cupped her breast and a moved a thumb over her nipple. "Is this what you need, Kadan?"  
She answered with a whimper and a seductive roll of her hips which caused Bull's body to respond with a jerk. He slipped his other hand beneath her skirt, enjoying the softness of her skin against his rough fingers. With slow torturous movements his hand moved closer to her throbbing sex. "Bull, please," she begged, writhing under his touch. His lips pulled at her lobe, and then his tongue slid around the shell of her pointed ear; she shivered as her mind conjured up the image of his tongue and lips doing that to another part of her body. _Maker!_ He'd been so very good at that.

She gasped with pleasure when his hand slipped inside her knickers; his strong fingers stroked gently over the neat triangle of curls, making her tremble with anticipation. She flexed her hips up in an effort to make him move lower, but he just chuckled and kept stroking. Finally, just as she was close to screaming out her frustration, his fingers dipped lower. The rough, calloused pad of one finger slid over her clitoris, causing her breathing to quicken. "So wet, Kadan." His voice, deep and husky, betrayed his own desire and need. He pulled her closer to him, enjoying the friction of her ass rubbing against his throbbing erection. However, the feel of her arousal wetting his fingers was too much to bear; he needed that sensation around his cock.

Swiftly, he picked her up and turned her around to sit in his lap. He chuckled at the slightly dazed look in her eyes, then leaned in and captured her lips with a passionate kiss. Her hands ran down his body until they came to rest against his heated erection where she quickly pulled at the ties of his trousers until his cock was free. Slim fingers wrapped around his shaft and slowly stroked, causing his hips to buck hungrily into her tight grip. "Fuck!" he growled. "I need you, right now!" In one swift move he ripped off her knickers, and with his hands firmly on her waist he lifted her; she guided his cock to her entrance and he brought her back down. Ellana cried out her pleasure as his thick girth stretched and filled her while sliding over sensitive nerves. His thick arms embraced her tightly, keeping her safe as the horse broke into a canter causing her to bounce on his hard cock.  
"Oh fuck!" The exclamation was whispered, the words full of awe and wonder. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her body tightened in readiness for the climax that was rushing towards her. Bull groaned and gritted his teeth as her pelvic muscles massaged his aching cock; he tried to delay the inevitable, but it felt so good having Ellana in his arms that he couldn't hold back. He lifted her off his cock and onto his lap; she immediately curled both hands around his shaft and stroked him, until with a loud growl, he came.

She rested her head against his chest while they both got their breath back. "I hope we didn't traumatise the horse," she said with a chuckle.  
"Nah, he's a big strong stallion, nothing could unnerve him." The horse neighed and flicked its ears in agreement with his master's statement. Bull shifted slightly and once more took the reins, slowing the horse down to a trot.  
As he did so, Ellana started tidying him up - but after just a few moments she raised one of her eyebrows, looked around, and turned back to the Qunari. "What happened to my knickers?"  
He guiltily cleared his throat, and she noticed his contrite expression. "Bull?"  
He gave her an embarrassed grin. "I... er... might need to buy you a new pair."  
She rolled her eyes, and pinned him with an assertive look, "Fine, but don't go buying me crotchless knickers."  
He looked hurt. "Boss, I would never do that to you!"  
She bit her lip to hold back the giggles that were threatening to erupt, and answered unsteadily, "You wouldn't?" She felt a little disappointed.  
"Nah. I prefer you without any knickers at all," he cheekily replied.  
A laugh escaped her lips. "You're an idiot, Bull."  
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her hard. "Yep, but I'm your idiot."  
She sighed happily. "Yes, you are."

 _The End_


End file.
